James Glenn Beall

James Glenn Beall
United States Senator from Maryland
In office January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1965
Preceded by	Herbert R. O'Conor
Succeeded by	Joseph Tydings
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 6th district
In office January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1953
Preceded by	Katharine Byron
Succeeded by	DeWitt S. Hyde
Member of the Maryland Senate
In office 1930–1934
Personal details
Born	June 5, 1894 Frostburg, Maryland
Died	January 14, 1971 (aged 76) Frostburg, Maryland
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Gettysburg College
Religion	Episcopalian
Military service
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1918–1919
Unit	Ordnance Corps
Battles/wars	World War I

James Glenn Beall (June 5, 1894 – January 14, 1971) was an American businessman and politician. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a U.S. Representative (1943–1953) and a U.S. Senator (1953–1965) from Maryland.

Early life and education

J. Glenn Beall was born in Frostburg, Maryland, to Olin and Florence (née Glenn) Beall.^[1] He was a descendant of Colonel Ninian Beall, who immigrated from Scotland in 1658 as an indentured servant and eventually became wealthy landowner.^[2] His maternal grandfather served as a captain in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.^[2] As a child, Beall suffered from polio and underwent several operations before age 12; his left arm and leg were permanently withered.^[1] He received his early education at public schools in Frostburg, and then studied at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania.^[3]

Early business and political career

Beall briefly worked in a clerical capacity at the First National Bank of Frostburg.^[2] During World War I, he served in the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps (1918–1919), being discharged as a sergeant.^[4] He subsequently worked in the insurance and real estate business in Frostburg and Cumberland, establishing the Beall Insurance & Realty Company in 1919.^[4]

Beall began his political career as a member of the Allegany County Road Commission, serving in that position from 1923 to 1930.^[3] In 1926, he married Margaret Schwarzenbach (1900–2005), to whom he remained married until his death; the couple had three sons, including John Glenn Beall, Jr.^[5] He served one term in the Maryland State Senate, where he represented Allegany County, from 1930 to 1934.^[3] He then became a member of the Maryland State Roads Commission, serving as chairman from 1938 to 1939.^[4]

Congressional career

House

In 1942, after Democratic incumbent Katharine Byron decided to retire, Beall was elected as a Republican to the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 6th congressional district.^[3] He defeated Democrat E. Brooke Lee, a former Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, by a margin of 59%-40%.^[6] He was subsequently re-elected to four more terms. During his 10-year tenure in the House, he served on the committees on the District of Columbia, flood control, roads and public works.^[4]

Senate

In 1952, following the retirement of Democratic incumbent Herbert O'Conor, Beall was elected to the U.S. Senate from Maryland.^[3] He defeated Democrat George P. Mahoney, a former chairman of the State Racing Commission, by a margin of 52%-47%.^[7] His 449,823 votes were the largest number a Republican Senate candidate ever received in Maryland.^[8]

During his Senate career, Beall earned a reputation as a moderate Republican.^[4] In 1954, he served as chairman of a subcommittee of the Senate Banking and Currency Committee that investigated a dramatic rise in coffee prices. He supported home rule for the District of Columbia, ceasefire with China, and the creation of a national institute for medical research. He also introduced legislation to create an Inland Navigation Commission, to permit voluntary non-sectarian prayer in public schools, and to turn White Sand Island off the Maryland coast into a federal recreation area.^[4]

Beall was narrowly re-elected in 1958 after defeating Democrat Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr., the mayor of Baltimore and father of future House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, by a margin of 51%-49%.^[9] However, he was heavily defeated for a third time in 1964; he lost to Democrat Joseph D. Tydings, the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland (a position Beall's son George later held from 1970 to 1975), by a margin of 63%-37%.^[10]

Later life and death

Beall returned to Frostburg, where he resumed his insurance business. He also served as president of the League for Crippled Children of Allegany County, of the Cumberland Fair Association, and of the First National Bank of Western Maryland.^[4]

Beall died at age 76, and is buried in the Frostburg Memorial Park.^[3]

References

1. Dictionary of American Biography, 1971-1975. Scribner. 1994.
2. The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. New York: James T. White & Company. 1960.
3. "BEALL, James Glenn, (1894 - 1971)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
4. "J. Glenn Beall, Former Senator From Maryland, Is Dead at 76". The New York Times. 1971-01-15.
5. "Beall, Margaret S.". Washington Post. 2005-07-27.
6. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1942" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.
7. "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 1952" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.
8. "Former Senator Beall Of Maryland Dies at 76". The Day. 1971-01-14.
9. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1958" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.
10. "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 3, 1964" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.